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View Full Version : Hello from NorCal!



HaaaChu
01-20-2014, 01:53 PM
Just wanted to give a nice intro.

Will try to keep it short and sweet.

Just got my first speeding ticket ~2.5 weeks ago. Scared the crap out of me as I never got pulled over before (Been driving 15+ years).. Made me realize I never want to go through that again.

My research eventually led me here...and I had NO IDEA there was such a group of enthusiasts / testers out to make sure people get the best for THEIR needs.

Initially thought I just needed a RD. Figured out that if I really want to not get a point on that license I need LCM's as well. Look forward to acquiring such products and be able to share my experience with you all!

-Son of A-Sneeze

curmudgeon
01-20-2014, 02:09 PM
Welcome. There's never an absolute guarantee that you won't get a ticket, but you can greatly improve the odds in your favor. This is a great place to learn how.

HaaaChu
01-20-2014, 02:11 PM
Thanks, I like improving my odds greatly.

dinkydi
01-20-2014, 02:12 PM
welcome aboard

Yellowcab
01-20-2014, 02:15 PM
Welcome to the forum. Feel free to ask questions. There are many products available. Tell us about our driving style, and what kind of environments you drive in. Rural, suburban, urban. Highway or secondary roads. Flat or hilly. Straight or curved.

HaaaChu
01-20-2014, 02:52 PM
Wow, such quick responses... cool

On city roads, I generally never go more than 5mph above the PSL. (Although there are some places that will ninja-change from 35-25 without you knowing)
On the highway, I usually go with the flow of traffic, maxing out at 80. (The PSL for the highways I drive is almost always 65). (The day I got the ticket I was having an already bad day, and got caught passing someone in the left lane without even paying attention to my surroundings. Now I understand why people recommend "do not speed when you are angry")

I realize that the biggest part of preventing a ticket is to be aware and drive smart (not having a RD / LCM).

My everyday drive consists of 60-100 mile commutes mostly highway (I'd estimate around 80-20) as my work drags me all over the place in every which way in NorCal. I cover about a 70 mile radius from my home. On some off days and on holidays, I do make the 450 mile drive down to SoCal to visit my family (on the 5 freeway).
Learning from some posters, I think California is heavily participating in the Laser side of things, which makes LCM a wise decision.

When I first got the ticket I knee-jerked and got the first thing that popped up on google - the Passport Max. Used it for ~3 days didn't really have a problem with it. Over the next week I wanted to see if I was getting a good value for my $$, so I decided to dig a little deeper...and I found these enthusiast forums (RDF, and here).

Since then I've been steadily upsetting my wife because I'm reading posts on these forums for hours a day. Every hour I spent reading got me more and more interested in getting proper equipment and making the experience more "fun". I initially just wanted to get a RD to give me another aid towards being more aware, now I feel like getting a complimentary setup and "find out what I've been missing on the road" By getting a better sense of what is out here and how "they" try to get you myself.

I've kind of tentatively chose the setup of a Escort Redline w/ ALP LCM's. The only question I have is if I need a 2 or 3 sensor system. From what I read the ALP system is quite stout. I'm going to try and include a picture of the front of my car. (I just got a 2014 SQ5)

Was thinking of getting 2 sensors and placing them as close to the edge of the grill, on the horizontal level right below the 4 rings. What do you guys think?

BTW. I'm really a newbie when it comes to this, so bear with me with all the questions to come. (Will probably be about installation and such).

Appreciate the help!


680

curmudgeon
01-20-2014, 03:06 PM
Redline with BS/RDR settings + ALP's and you're at the top of the game. Excellent detailed answer. You'll get more help with this if you post here: http://radarandlaserforum.com/forumdisplay.php/19-Advice-on-Placement

Maybe one of the mods can move it for you

max
01-20-2014, 03:17 PM
Hi and welcome from Toronto
You've come to the right place with most nice members, and many of them first-class experts in CM, in this days the leading LASER COUNTER MEASURE is a ALP as forum member you can get it at a special price, contact the member BestRadarDetectors who is an honest person and he help you with that.

Yellowcab
01-20-2014, 03:36 PM
Great car!!! In all probability, a two head ALP will protect you very well. I would mount them just to the right of S emblem and the same place on the left side of the grill.

I am a big fan of a three head installation as I am bit on the more obsessive side when it comes to installations. On my vehicles I do run three heads in the front. I am not sure that a third head will result in better protection for your car.

The Redline is a great choice for radar detector for your driving environment.

HaaaChu
01-20-2014, 03:53 PM
Yup! I PM'd BestRadarDetectors already inquiring about how I can order everything. I can imagine his PM box gets bombarded constantly. I'll either wait for a reply from him or I'll just call him on my next day off. I'm learning something new everyday, and getting THAT much closer to a slap in the back of the head by my better half.

curmudgeon
01-20-2014, 04:31 PM
Well, just tell her cm's are a healthier addiction than porn:eyebrows:

RedRocket
01-20-2014, 05:05 PM
Welcome to the Forum HaaaChu.You're off to a great start & congrats on doing some research prior to spending your money.You've avoided the mistake of buying inferior products that wouldn't have protected you as well.
Well done !

HaaaChu
01-20-2014, 05:36 PM
Unfortunately i already got the Max (the Redline suits my needs better I think), but fortunately its already packed back up in original packaging, placed in a box and ready to be dropped off at UPS for return. :P

I do plan on hardwiring my RD as well. I bought a direct smartcord for the max, would it work for the Redline or do I have to return that as well?
Will I be able to use the same add-a-circuit to connect both the control box and RD power lines to? (crimp both of them together)

It may be just me, but I love the control set from ALP. Its SUPER small, and the speaker is built into it; its easy to find a place to put it. The systems from LI and Blinder both require you to mount their control box in cabin somewhere you can hear the speaker clearly from.

The Bluetooth module is tempting for use with the iPhone... but i would hate to have it depend on me to be in the car (my wife doesn't have iphone) and I like to use my bluetooth connection for the car's phone system.

Yellowcab
01-20-2014, 06:03 PM
You can use the same Smartcord for the Redline. You also can use the same circuit for both the radar detector and the ALP.

Personally, I like the Bluetooth/iThing interface for the ALP better than the supplied control. There is a switch that you can use so that you may use either control interface (just not at the same time). You can use a 5th generation iPod as your control interface instead of an iPhone.

RedRocket
01-20-2014, 06:52 PM
It may be just me, but I love the control set from ALP. Its SUPER small, and the speaker is built into it; its easy to find a place to put it. The systems from LI and Blinder both require you to mount their control box in cabin somewhere you can hear the speaker clearly from.
No,you're not alone,me too.One thing to consider though,during the day the LED on the Control Set(Pad) is fine,but at night it can be distracting b/c of its high brilliance.Facing you at night on the dash may be a little to bright.

What would be the name for: Daughter of A-Sneeze ? :friendly_wink:

HaaaChu
01-20-2014, 07:04 PM
Hahahaha... Ummm.. Dunno.. Haaachi?

Lol. Hmmm. If it gets too bright I can pt it in dark mode? Does it take away any functionality?
(Or did I read the manual wrong)... Btw.. Is it bad that I read the online manual before I even placed my order? Obsessed much?

Btw. I told my wife I was getting a RD. But didn't get her blessingon the ALP's... My early valentines day gift, that will keep on giving... Besides it's always easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission amirite?

-ChuChuTrain

Salty
01-20-2014, 07:22 PM
Wow, such quick responses... cool

On city roads, I generally never go more than 5mph above the PSL. (Although there are some places that will ninja-change from 35-25 without you knowing)
On the highway, I usually go with the flow of traffic, maxing out at 80. (The PSL for the highways I drive is almost always 65). (The day I got the ticket I was having an already bad day, and got caught passing someone in the left lane without even paying attention to my surroundings. Now I understand why people recommend "do not speed when you are angry")

I realize that the biggest part of preventing a ticket is to be aware and drive smart (not having a RD / LCM).

My everyday drive consists of 60-100 mile commutes mostly highway (I'd estimate around 80-20) as my work drags me all over the place in every which way in NorCal. I cover about a 70 mile radius from my home. On some off days and on holidays, I do make the 450 mile drive down to SoCal to visit my family (on the 5 freeway).
Learning from some posters, I think California is heavily participating in the Laser side of things, which makes LCM a wise decision.

When I first got the ticket I knee-jerked and got the first thing that popped up on google - the Passport Max. Used it for ~3 days didn't really have a problem with it. Over the next week I wanted to see if I was getting a good value for my $$, so I decided to dig a little deeper...and I found these enthusiast forums (RDF, and here).

Since then I've been steadily upsetting my wife because I'm reading posts on these forums for hours a day. Every hour I spent reading got me more and more interested in getting proper equipment and making the experience more "fun". I initially just wanted to get a RD to give me another aid towards being more aware, now I feel like getting a complimentary setup and "find out what I've been missing on the road" By getting a better sense of what is out here and how "they" try to get you myself.

I've kind of tentatively chose the setup of a Escort Redline w/ ALP LCM's. The only question I have is if I need a 2 or 3 sensor system. From what I read the ALP system is quite stout. I'm going to try and include a picture of the front of my car. (I just got a 2014 SQ5)

Was thinking of getting 2 sensors and placing them as close to the edge of the grill, on the horizontal level right below the 4 rings. What do you guys think?

BTW. I'm really a newbie when it comes to this, so bear with me with all the questions to come. (Will probably be about installation and such).

Appreciate the help!


680
First, awesome intro and first few posts! Second, it seems you've already done your homework minus buying the Max (which is no slouch btw). But you made the right choice with the Redline and ALP's! Sweet ride as well, but are you able to turn the lane assist off on it? Last but not least, welcome to the forum. We hope your stay is a long one and that you enjoy it!

Yellowcab
01-20-2014, 07:24 PM
In my friend's wife's truck. In addition to the control unit, they had also installed the LED. Her car was like a disco. I disconnected the LED, and used a piece of black electrical tape to cover the LED in the control unit.

I am a CM geek and like to know as much information as possible and also like the ease of use of the iThing (pod, pad phone) control.

One of the great things about AntiLaser is that they listen to their customers and respond with improvements. I was lucky to be involved in the testing of a pre-production unit, and areas of improvement that we noted were included in when the AL Priority was initially released for sale. I think that AL is busy working on the upcoming add on modules, as well as requests that users have made. The improvements and responses we have seen from AL since the Priority has been commercially released have exceeded my expectations. I can't wait to see what comes next from AL.

RedRocket
01-20-2014, 07:40 PM
No functionality loss in performance,but maybe in JTK time if you're touch/searching the cabin at night b/c it's in Dark Mode.At night, w/ the LED blinking,I have instant physical location of Pad for quick JTK.I did off-set it so not flashing directly at me.

Yeah,you've been bitten bad if your already a Manual bookworm.Time to put a padlock on your wallet. :D

HaaaChu
01-20-2014, 07:52 PM
@Salty: Thanks! good thing I didn't spring for the lane assist / auto cruise control option. It does have a blind-spot monitoring system but I can manually shut that off.

@Red: I'll put the padlock on AFTER i get my toys... :P

RedRocket
01-20-2014, 07:56 PM
@Red: I'll put the padlock on AFTER i get my toys... :P
But that's what I mean,the toy buying never Stops ! :roflmfao:

HaaaChu
01-20-2014, 07:58 PM
Oh, boy...where does this yellow brick road lead to...